you shoot at yourself, america 1968

Editor: Corita Kent's screen print "you shoot at yourself, america," uses bold text and imagery, creating a really striking and unsettling feel. The layering of text and image is chaotic. What's your take on the overall message and how the materials contribute to it? Curator: The process of screen printing itself allows for mass production and dissemination of a message. Kent utilizes it as a form of social commentary, underscoring America's involvement in Vietnam. The red ink evokes the blood and violence Kent is critiquing. Editor: So you're saying the medium isn't just a delivery system, but an active part of the statement? Curator: Precisely. It implicates the viewer in the consumption and perpetuation of these ideas. Consider how the layering of the words emphasizes the overwhelming nature of the message. Editor: That makes me think about how art is a product of its time, reflecting both creation and consumption. Curator: It reveals the materiality of a nation's conscience.